Scadoxus puniceus

Ranging from the south-eastern Cape into tropical Africa, in coastal thicket and shaded, wooded valleys, Scadoxus puniceus, the paintbrush lily, is an Amaryllidaceae with a large bulb up to 10 cm across, surrounded by fleshy roots. In late winter a robust, lavender-spotted stem precedes the leaves and bears a dense, paintbrush-like head of scarlet to orange flowers with prominent yellow stamens, followed by shiny red berries. It requires shade to part shade, cool, humus-rich soil, and a pronounced winter dormancy.